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Primary sourcePainting1873

"Whither Are We Drifting?" cartoon, Grip

J. W. Bengough · 1873

A satirical 1873 cartoon by J. W. Bengough mocking Macdonald's handling of the Pacific Scandal.

This cartoon satirizes Macdonald's handling of the Pacific Scandal, showing contemporary criticism of him as prime minister.

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Pen-and-ink cartoon titled 'Whither Are We Drifting?' showing a tall man in a long coat and checked trousers standing on a sleeping figure's head, holding a paper labelled 'Prorogation' and 'Suppression of Investigation' while pointing skyward. A large money bag labelled 'Pacific' lies nearby.
J. W. Bengough, "Whither Are We Drifting?", Grip, 1873. Library and Archives Canada.

About this source

What it is

This is a pen-and-ink cartoon titled "Whither Are We Drifting?" drawn by J. W. Bengough and published in Grip magazine in 1873, now held by Library and Archives Canada. It shows a tall man holding papers labelled "Prorogation" and "Suppression of Investigation", standing over a sleeping figure, with a money bag labelled "Pacific" nearby.

Why it matters

The cartoon satirizes Prime Minister John A. Macdonald's response to the Pacific Scandal, a bribery affair over funding for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Bengough and his magazine Grip frequently targeted Macdonald and the Conservatives, showing how the press of the time shaped public views of politicians through satire.

Look closer

  • What do the labels on the papers and money bag tell you about what the cartoonist wanted viewers to think?
  • Why might a satirical cartoon be a useful or unreliable source for understanding a political scandal?
  • How does exaggeration in cartoons like this one affect how we remember historical figures?

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